If These Walls Could Speak
by Vicky
Summary: Jo is finally closing Plumfield and some friends from her past return to reminise about their memories


IF THESE WALLS COULD SPEAK   
A "Little Men" Fan-Fiction Story - by Vicky 

_PROLOGUE: This story takes place in the summer of 1883. The children have long since graduated from Plumfield to make their way in the world. They are all in their mid-20s, Rob is a teenager, and the adults are now in their 40s. Jo has decided to close Plumfield School at the end of the current school year. To her surprise, Asia has sent telegrams to some of the 'children' to tell them of Jo's decision and to invite them 'home' for a trip down memory lane._

Jo sat at her desk in the school room staring at the empty seats before her. Class had ended for the day and her current students had just left the room to begin their afternoon chores. Nick quietly knocked on the door as he entered. Jo turned her head and gave him a small smile. "Figured I'd find ya in here," he said. 

"This is the end Nick. The children are packing tonight and most of them are leaving in the morning." Jo's voice cracked slightly at the thought of closing Plumfield forever. 

"Ya don't hafta do this, Jo." 

"I know," she replied, "but I just can't do it all anymore - teaching, mothering, running the school - even with help from you and Asia. It's just too much for me now. Besides, Rob will be going to college in the fall and it just won't be the same without him here." 

Nick nodded his head and leaned against Jo's desk. "It's gonna be a lot more peaceful 'round here without fifteen kids though, that's for sure," he joked. 

A bittersweet chuckle escaped from Jo's lips as tears stared to roll down her cheeks. 

* * * * * * * * * * 

"Bess, I'm home!" Dan called as he entered the front door of the house he and Bess shared in Colorado. 

She greeted him with a kiss and a telegram. "This came today while I was in town." 

Dan opened the folded piece of paper and read it slowly. 

_Dan and Bess,___

_Jo has finally decided to close Plumfield for good. Her last group of students finish school by week's end. I thought it would be a wonderful idea if some of you kids came back to surprise her and to remember the wonderful memories that were shared here. This has been tough for her, as you can imagine, and I thought she'd love to see you again. Please arrive as soon as you can!___

_I miss you dearly,___

_Asia_

"I guess we best get packed, huh?" he said when he finished reading. 

"Wonderful! I started packing this afternoon and even bought the train tickets. We leave first thing in the morning," Bess smiled and put her arm around her husband. 

"I just can't believe she's closin' the school. It hasn't been that long since we left, has it?" Dan wondered. 

Bess walked into the dining room to set the table for dinner. "Dan, it's been almost ten years since we left and Aunt Jo isn't as young as she used to be." 

"I guess you're right, but I still can't believe it." 

* * * * * * * * * * 

Nan sat in her New York apartment reading the telegram Asia had sent her. 'I wonder if Nat got one, too,' she thought to herself, 'I'll go see 'im later tonight about it.' Nat lived a few blocks away above the studio where he taught violin lessons. 

Before Nan could put down the telegram, there was a knock at her door. "Who is it?" she asked. 

"It's Nat," the caller replied, opening the door. "Did you get a telegram from Asia?" 

"Yeah, I just finished readin' it. I can't believe it." 

Nat sat in a nearby chair and watched Nan begin her packing. "I haven't seen Mrs. Jo and Plumfield in years - not to mention Dan and the others. I'm glad to be goin' back, but I wish it were a happier occasion." 

"I know what ya mean," Nan added, opening a dresser drawer, "It'll be happy though. I mean, we'll all be able ta talk about the wonderful, and not so wonderful, memories we all shared at Plumfield." 

"It's gonna be strange though, not having seen Mrs. Jo in so long. I hope she doesn't take our visit the wrong way. I don't want her to feel any more guilty about closing Plumfield than she probably already does," Nat sighed. 

"Me too." 

"I guess I'll go to the train station to get tickets for tomorrow." Nat put his hand on the doorknob and smiled at Nan. 

"It'll be okay," she assured him. "We'll all be together again." 

* * * * * * * * * * 

The next morning Jo sat in the kitchen drinking her coffee. "Mother," Rob said, walking into the room, "I'm goin' fishin'. You wanna come with me?" Rob had become worried about Jo during the last week - she didn't eat much and seemed very distant to him, even in the classroom. 

"You go ahead, sweetheart," she half-heartedly replied, "I'll go next time." 

Rob shrugged his shoulders, "Okay." He opened the kitchen door and headed toward the barn to get his fishing supplies. 

Nick was chopping wood and saw Rob leave the house looking depressed. Running to catch up to him, Nick placed a hand on Rob's shoulder. "You're worried 'bout your ma, ain't ya?" he asked. 

Rob stopped and sighed. "Of course I am. This school was a lifelong dream of hers. I never imagined she'd actually close it, but I guess things change with time. I'm sure that part of it is because I won't be here next year, but ..." 

"But what?" Nick gently prodded. 

"But I don't want her to be alone." Rob stood tall, trying not to let his emotions overwhelm him. "I didn't feel so bad about leavin' Concord when I thought there would be students here ... but now I'm not so sure. You and Asia have no reason to stay here now. I realize that Aunt Meg and Aunt Amy are in town, but it's not the same." 

"Nothin' stays the same forever, Rob. Look at you," replied Nick. 

"Speaking of 'staying the same,' why didn't you and Mother ever court, or at least kiss? I thought the two of you would have been married long ago." 

Nick felt his face redden in response to Rob's question. It was not so long ago that Rob was just a small child running around Plumfield. "Actually," he said, "Your ma an' I did kiss ... once." 

A smile crossed Rob's face. "Really? Please tell me." 

"I think you're old enough now." Nick slapped the teenager on the back and led him into the barn. 

Once inside Nick's room, the two men sat down and Nick told Rob about that wonderful evening years ago.__

_Jo silently entered the barn while Nick polished the saddle he had just bought from Nan and Emil. "Nice saddle you've got there."___

_"Yeah. I probably paid a little more for it than I shoulda, but I always wanted a nice saddle."___

_Jo softly spoke after an awkward silence, "Nick, I came to apoligize for accusing you of spying on me. It was an awful thing to say."___

_"Yeah, it was," Nick replied, looking up from his work, but not looking at Jo.___

_Not expecting Nick's reaction, Jo lowered her head and slowly nodded--she was sure she had just ruined any chance of ever getting involved with Nick now. "I'm sorry," she whispered before turning to leave.___

_Nick's voice stopped Jo mid-stride, "Though I was tempted." Turning back to face him, she waited for Nick to continue. "You're a beautiful woman, Jo."___

_Trying to conceal her surprise, and happiness, Jo lowered her head and composed her thoughts. "Where should we go from here?"___

_"I don't know. I don't know what to do."___

_Jo walked closer to Nick. "Meg thinks we should start courting," she said with a slight chuckle.___

_"Might not be a bad idea," he agreed, "Been on my mind for a while now."___

_"Mine too."___

_"Kids'll probably be all for it."___

_"Oh! They'd be thrilled!" Jo's eyes brightened at the thought. "Might make things easier for us as well." She again moved toward him.___

_"We wouldn't have to hide our feelin's no more--pretend we didn't have any."___

_"We could walk down the street together, arm in arm if we wanted to."___

_"It could be alright." The two smiled, eyes locked, but quickly dropped their gazes as a silence enveloped them.___

_Jo broke the quiet tension, "But then we are so different."___

_"Yeah, we don't see eye to eye on very much," Nick agreed, looking away.___

_"Courting can be so formal--awkward."___

_"I'd never get it right."___

_"I'd be worse." Without words, Jo stepped closer to Nick--they were only inches apart.___

_Nick looked down. "As much as I like it here there's a part of me that's always gonna want ta go back to sea one day."___

_Jo nodded her head. "And you should. I wouldn't want to stand in your way."___

_"You deserve a better commitment than that, Jo."___

_"And you deserve a woman who will wait for you." 'I'll wait,' thought Jo, speaking a phrase that went against every feeling inside of her, but sincerely meaning it. "We're just too different. It would never work."___

_Contradicting his own thoughts, Nick spoke to the floor, "Nah. Not in a million years."___

_Nick glanced into Jo's deep brown eyes, causing her to look away. Jo turned her head back just as Nick leaned toward her. Their lips met in a passionate kiss, both never wanting it to end._

"I never knew about that," Rob said after a moment of thought. 

"No one did." 

* * * * * * * * * * 

Dan and Bess stepped off the train in Concord and looked at the town around them. "Not much has changed," Bess commented. 

"Just us," Dan replied, thoughts of his childhood flooding his mind. 

"We haven't changed that much." 

The couple walked into town to visit with Amy and Laurie before heading out to Plumfield. "Bess! Dan!" Amy greeted them, "What are you doing here?" 

"Asia sent us a telegram about Aunt Jo closing the school," Bess answered, hugging her mother. 

"We thought we'd come cheer her up," Dan added, "Maybe help her realize how much trouble kids can be an' why she shouldn't feel guilty 'bout shuttin' down Plumfield." The group laughed at Dan's remark. 

"I'm sure Jo's still recovering from some of your antics, Dan." Laurie puts his hand on Dan's shoulder and led him into the house. 

"How's Colorado?" Amy asked, sipping her tea. 

"It's beautiful this time of year, Mother. The flowers are in full bloom and the sky is such a brilliant color of blue," Bess answered. 

"You should come with us when we go back," Dan offered, "You an' I could climb Pike's Peak, Mr. Laurence." 

Laurie nodded at the thought. "That's a great idea - the trip, not the mountain climbing. Amy and I haven't been on a trip in quite some time. The break would be terrific." 

"Please come." Bess sat down her cup and looked at the photographs sitting on the table to her left. She picked up a picture of the Plumfield 'family' taken before they had left. "I remember when this was taken." 

Dan looked over her shoulder. "Yeah. It took forever for everyone to stay still--especially Tommy. He never stopped moving." 

"Remember when he broke his leg at Walden Pond?" Bess smiled. 

"Or any one of the many times he broke dishes?" smirked Dan. 

"That boy caused more accidents in his time at Plumfield than most people do in their entire lives," Amy added. 

"It wouldn't have been the same without him," Bess said. 

* * * * * * * * * * 

Nat and Nan approached the gate in front of Plumfield. "It looks so small," sighed Nan. "I don't remember it being this tiny." 

"We were a lot smaller back then," Nat replied, "It hasn't shrunk ... we've grown." Taking a deep breath, Nat pushed the iron gates open, only to have the left one fall off of its hinges. 

"Guess Nick never did get that fixed," laughed Nan.__

_Dan helped Jo down from the wagon. She walked toward the heavy iron gate, placing her hands on the well-known bars. Staring at the house before her, Jo still couldn't believe that the children had stopped the lawsuit hearing that could have caused her to lose her school. Jo didn't realize that Plumfield had meant so much to them. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the gates. Much to Nick's dismay, the left side once again fell off of its hinges. "Well, it isn't perfect, but it's still the best school in town! Let's go!" Watching the children run toward Plumfield was the greatest sight in the world, especially after she came so close to losing everything she loved._

After their slow walk to the house, Nat and Nan climbed the porch steps and opened the front door. "Anyone home?" Nat called into the empty parlor. 

"Who is it?" a familiar voice answered from the kitchen. 

Closing the door behind her, Nan set her bags inside the door and removed her hat. "Mrs. Jo? It's Nan, and Nat." 

Running to meet them, Jo embraced both children, in turn, while tears of happiness streamed down her face. She stood back to look at them. "I'm so glad to see the two of you. It's been too long," she admitted, caressing Nan's cheek. 

"It has," Nat agreed. 

"Come, sit down," Jo eagerly said, leading the new arrivals into the dining room. "Tell me all about New York. What have you been doing?" 

Nan sat at the table next to Jo. "New York is wonderful. Nat and I only live a few blocks away from each other. I love working with Dr. Henning! I've learned so much from him. He told me that he plans to retire sometime in the next few years an' wants to give the practice to me." 

"That's wonderful!" Jo exclaimed, giving Nan another hug. "What about you, Nat?" 

"I have seven regular students now. The numbers of part-time students dwindle in the summer, but during the fall I can have up to thirteen! It's a lot of work, but I love every minute of it. I do miss you and Plumfield so much though," Nat finished, "I think about you all the time." 

Jo blushed at Nat's remark. "I still can't believe you're here. Why?" 

"Nat! Nan!" Asia greeted, entering the dining room. "It's so great to see you!" 

"Asia!" both exclaimed, standing to hug her. 

"I'm so glad ya came," Asia whispered in their ears. "She hasn't smiled like this in a while." 

Before Jo could collect her thoughts from Nat and Nan's arrival, she heard the front door open again. "Nick?" she questioned, rising from her chair to see who was in the parlor. 

"No," came the reply, "It's me, Mrs. Jo." 

"Dan!" Jo screeched, running to hug him. "And Bess!" 

"Hi, Aunt Jo," Bess smiled. "It's so good to see you again. Mother and Father say 'hi.'" 

"You already went to see Amy and Laurie. How long have you been in town?" 

Dan hugged Jo again, "Just a few hours. Plumfield was our second stop." 

"This is such a wonderful surprise. First Nat and Nan, and ..." 

"Nat and Nan are here," Dan interrupted. 

"Yes. They're in the dining room with Asia," Jo answered. 

* * * * * * * * * * 

Later that night, Jo, Nick, Asia, and Rob sat in the parlor talking with Nat, Nan, Dan, and Bess. "Asia, I can't believe you did this for me," Jo said, taking her seat next to Nick on the sofa. 

"I knew how sad you've been lately an' I just thought this would help cheer ya up." Asia grinned as she took a drink of her coffee. 

"It certainly has." Jo smiled at the faces around her that looked so grown up now, but had once been those of rambunctious children. 

Adding another log to the fire, Dan sat on the floor in front of Jo and leaned against the end table. "Why are ya closin' Plumfield?" 

"I'm just getting too old to chase after young children," she answered. "I want to focus my attention on writing more--maybe even write a book about Plumfield like I did about my childhood. Anyway, time has passed and it's just too much for me to handle now." 

"So much has happened here. I'm surprised the house is still standin'," Nan commented, drawing laughter from those sitting around her. 

Bess rested her head on Dan's shoulder. "Imagine what these walls would say if they could speak - the stories they could tell." 

Nick leaned over to the rocking chair beside him and whispered in Rob's ear, "I wouldn't mind relivin' some of 'em." Rob smiled and nodded his head in agreement. 

"I wouldn't trade my years here for the world," Nat added. "It seems like yesterday when I won the Young Musicians Contest." 

"Yeah. That was the same time the lion escaped from the circus an' came into Concord," Dan said. 

Jo bend forward and tousled Dan's brown hair. "I still can't believe you snuck out of the house to join the hunt, just to prove yourself. I was so worried about you, but was glad to have you home . . . Plumfield will always be a home to all of you. I don't want you to forget that." Jo quickly wiped away the tears that began to escape her eyes. 

Suddenly, Nick burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" Jo elbowed Nick in the side, her eyes twinkling. 

"I'm sorry," Nick replied between chuckles, "I was thinkin' 'bout the time you an' your sisters went ta Boston an' ended up spending a few days in the woods. Laurie an' I sure were surprised when we finally found the three of you!"__

_Nick and Laurie pulled up beside an abandoned carriage on the road. Looking inside, Laurie found a suitcase, "This is Amy's." Nick inspected the straps and buckles that hooked the horse to the carriage--they weren't broken, they were unfastened. Neither man knew what was going on, but they were slightly worried.___

_Looking down the road, Nick and Laurie saw three disheveled figures before them. "Jo?" Nick called. The women slowed and turned around--it was Jo, Meg, and Amy looking as if they had lost a fight with the mud monster._

"I blocked that out of my memory," Jo laughed. "What a horrible time!" 

"I don't think any of us actually heard the true story of what happened," Asia added, "I musta heard two versions of every detail." 

"I told the truth. It was Meg and Amy that blew the story out of proportion," defended Jo. 

Nick turned to her and gave Jo an unbelieving glance. "Right. What about the fish?" 

"There is one thing I'll never forget though ..." said Jo, changing the subject, "the way all of you children stood up for your beliefs when Mr. McBride tried to take Plumfield away from us. I was so overwhelmed!"__

_Jo and the others approached the church to attend the legal hearing that would decide the fate of Plumfield. Upon their arrival, they found the children sitting on the front steps, forming a human barricade. "We're stoppin' the hearin'," Nan explained as the group got closer.___

_"We're not lettin' anyone in 'til we have a chance to speak to the judge."___

_"Dan, please don't make this any more difficult than it already is," Jo tried to reason with the boy.___

_Eli McBride and Judge Hancock walked to the front of the gathered crowd. "What's the meaning of this?"___

_"These are my students, your honor," Jo quietly replied.___

_Nat spoke up from the steps, "We're defending Mrs. Jo and our school."___

_"Well, defend them inside," Judge Hancock ordered, "Now, move out of the way!"___

_Dan stood, "No."___

_"What?" McBride asked with surprise.___

_Following Dan's lead, the children all stood, taking a battle stance against McBride and the judge. "This lawsuit is stupid!" exclaimed Tommy.___

_"Tommy," Jo gently chastised.___

_McBride was appalled at the children's behavior. "This is nonsense--further evidence of the lack of discipline at Plumfield."___

_"Our school has plenty of discipline," Dan began, "Maybe Mrs. Jo doesn't hit kids when they do wrong like they do at other schools, but that don't mean we don't listen to her. Fact is we listen real well 'cause we know the things she teaches us is important--like thinkin' for ourselves and standin' up for what we know is right."___

_"Yeah. And we're not leavin' 'til you drop this stupid lawsuit," finished Nan.___

_"This is absurd. Now move out of the way, all of you. Go on!"___

_"No," Emil strongly stated, "We're not going anywhere so you'll just have to move us yourself."___

_"Someone fetch the sheriff," growled McBride, "If you don't move at once I shall have you arrested."___

_"Fine. Throw us in jail. We don't care," Bess immediately replied, much to the dismay of her mother.___

_"Yeah. Throw us in jail," agreed Nan.___

_Rob pulled away from his mother and walked toward the steps, "I wanna go to jail, too." Jo desperately tried to pull him back, but he was already standing next to Nan.___

_"If the cause is worthy." Franz stepped forward, joining the children.___

_"This is not a game children. This is very serious," reprimanded Judge Hancock.___

_"Yes sir, we know that," Nat said, "but we'd rather go to jail then be forced to leave Plumfield. Mr. McBride's telling everyone how dangerous it is out there, but it's not like that at all. Mrs. Jo teaches us, she listens to us, and takes real good care of us. In fact, we feel safe there. It's not just our school, it's our home. Out here, this is where it's dangerous." Tears welled up in Jo's eyes over the love her students were showing for her and their school.___

_For the first time, Harrison Bridger added his support for the cause, "You better listen to 'em Judge because up until now no one has, myself included. If anyone knows if the school is safe, I think it would be the children."___

_One by one, Asia, Meg, Laurie, Nick, and even Amy, joined the children on the steps of the church, forcing McBride to "respectfully withdraw the lawsuit."_

"How about the time we played tricks on all of the housekeepers that were applying for Asia's job." Nat looked at Asia, "And that silly poem we wrote for her." 

A tear came to Asia's eye as she thought about that moment in time. "I'm sorry I left when you finished. I know you kids meant well, but I thought you only appreciated me for all the work I did." 

"You didn't hear us talking on the porch the next day though," Bess said. 

"Yes, I did," Asia softly spoke, "I was just inside the door an' heard the whole conversation. It made me realized how much I really meant to you kids."__

_"I like the way she always acts cranky, even when she's happy," Tommy said.___

_"And pretends not to know it," added Dan.___

_Jo looked at the children sitting and standing around her. "Well, who wouldn't complain every once in a while? I mean, think about all of the little things that Asia does for us. Often times they go unnoticed."___

_Emil nodded in agreement, "The way she folds my shirts just the way my mother used to."___

_"Or the way she cooks me something special when I don't like what we're eating," Bess smiled.___

_"Which is most of the time," commented Nan, coming around the corner.___

_Nick continued, "I like the way she's always got a hot pot of coffee on and she always speaks her mind."___

_"Even when we don't want her to," said Tommy. The group let out hesitant laughs.___

_Nat rested his hands on the mop her was using. "And she always does it for the right reasons."___

_"She's always got good advice, too," Dan spoke glancing at the people around him.___

_"She's always there when I need someone to talk to," added Nan._

"Enough of this cryin'," Asia spoke, "Who's hungry?" 

"Did ya even hafta ask?" joked Dan. 

Asia rolled her eyes, "My mistake." 

* * * * * * * * * * 

That night Jo walked upstairs to check on the sleeping travellers like she used to when they were younger. Quietly opening the door to the room Bess and Nan used to share, she saw familiar figures sleeping, but saw a different combination of them - Bess and Dan sharing a bed. Across the hall, Nat slept in his old bed, while Nan lay in Emil's. "They've grown up so much," Jo whispered, "but I can still hear their voices echoing all around me."__

_"I bet I can beat ya ta that bush!"___

_"Maybe you could be that someone for me ... and maybe I could be that someone for you."___

_"'K' ... as in 'kitty.'"___

_"That's more money than I've seen in my entire life."___

_"It was just a ... a coma."___

_"I'm sorry you slipped and fell Tommy, but I am so happy that you climbed that tree. I hope you climb many more."___

_"I'm always doing these things to you."___

_"I'd be happy just to be in the same room with ya."___

_"You have your music box and your frog skeleton?"___

_"Think of what you lost."___

_"Looks like we're all voting today."___

_"He broke it."___

_"I can hear it. I can hear my heartbeat!"___

_"You're more than a cook and a housekeeper. You're more than just an employee. You're my friend. Sometimes you're my strength. Sometimes you're my sense of humor and I don't want you to leave."___

_"Jo, you can't give up."___

_"Nan I told you to keep those bugs on your side of the room."___

_"I'm sure there'll be a time when I meet someone new - I just wish that time would hurry up 'cause I can't stop thinkin' about her day and night."___

_"Can we come visit?"___

_"Don't let the cows trample ya."___

_"Blocking the sunlight? Meg, they're sticks."___

_"There was no bear, Amy!"___

_"Max, I'm tired of findin' body parts around Plumfield."___

_"Is it true you can't walk?"___

_"We all got together and wrote you a poem to show you what you mean to us."___

_"How 'bout that dance?"___

_"Jo, it's raining!"___

_"I'd rather talk about worms."___

_"Don't seem like Christmas, does it? Not even any snow."___

_"The goose is back."___

_"I told you I didn't want to hear any more talk about grape juice!"___

_"Amen."___

_"First question for his book: 'Did you kill your wife?!'"___

_"Max, come back here! That bone's for the soup!"___

_"Nick didn't kill no one!"___

_"Bess, how could you?!"___

_"I told you."___

_"We find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree."___

_"I think the Latern Man does exist, except that he's just a lonely old man looking for a friend."___

_"I will withdraw the lawsuit if you will agree to sell me Plumfield."___

_"Howdy. I mean bonjour."___

_"I'm glad you're home."___

_* * * * * * * * * *_

A week had passed since Dan, Bess, Nat, and Nan had arrived for their visit. The time had been filled with memories, laughter, tears, and love. Everyone gathered on the porch steps to say their final good-byes. "Please don't go," Jo pleaded. 

"We promise to visit real soon, Mrs. Jo," Nat replied, hugging Jo one last time. 

"We'll write letters," added Nan. 

Jo smiled through her tears, "You better." 

Dan set down his suitcase and removed his hat. "Last night," he began, "Bess an' I were talkin' 'bout somethin'." 

"When we think about how much we've all been through together and of how we almost lost the school to Mr. McBride, we don't want to see it close--even if it is your choice, Aunt Jo," continued Bess. 

"What are you saying?" Jo asked. 

"Bess an' I wanna move back home to help you run Plumfield. We were here durin' the best years of our lives an' we think other kids deserve the same opportunity we had." 

Jo was speechless. She couldn't fully comprehend what she had just heard. Almost in a trance, she embraced Dan and Bess. "I don't know what to say," Jo barely whispered." Asia and Nan both had tears in their eyes watching the scene unfold before them. Nick, Rob, and Nat were also choked up and amazed by the offer Dan and Bess had made, but didn't want to outwardly show their emotion. 

"Please say 'yes,'" Bess said, tears welling up in her eyes. 

"You don't hafta do a thing, Mrs. Jo. Bess an' I'll take care of everything, includin' the teachin'. You just hafta help if ya want to." Dan stood back, waiting for Jo's response. 

"Yes," she answered, "Yes."   


_All characters (c) PAXtv, Little Men and all other relevent parties. This story has been written for the enjoyment of other Little Men fans and is not meant to infringe upon the copyrights of any of the above people._****

**Author's Note: The idea for this fanfic came from a song entitled "If These Walls Could Speak" on Amy Grant's 1988 CD, _Lead Me On_. I'm including the lyrics to the song so that you can better appreciate this story. If you ever have the opportunity, this song is definitely worth the listen!**

IF THESE WALLS COULD SPEAK   
Words and Music by Jimmy Webb 

If these old walls   
If these old walls could speak   
Of things that they remember well   
Stories and faces dearly held   
A couple in love   
Livin' week to week   
Rooms full of laughter   
If these walls could speak 

If these old halls   
If hallowed halls could talk   
These would have a tale to tell   
Of sun goin' down and dinner bell   
And children playing at hide and seek   
From floor to rafter   
If these halls could speak 

They would tell you that I'm sorry   
For bein' cold and blind and weak   
They would tell you that it's only   
That I have a stubborn streak   
If these walls could speak 

If these old fashioned   
window panes were eyes   
I guess they would have seen it all   
Each little tear and sigh and footfall   
And every dream that we came to seek   
Or followed after   
If these walls could speak 

They would tell you that I owe you   
More than I could ever pay   
Here's someone who really loves you   
Don't ever go away   
That's what these walls would say 

They would tell you that I owe you   
More than I could ever pay   
Here's someone who really loves you   
Don't ever go away   
That's what these walls would say   
That's what these walls would say   
That's what these walls would say 


End file.
